Preston Pugmire

The one thing that Preston Pugmire likes more than playing live music is watching WWE Monday Night RAW. "The only reason I'm not a professional wrestler is that I'm 6 feet tall and have weighed 135 pounds for a decade now." Preston says. "You'd think that after playing nearly 400 college shows in three years, eating a lot of fast food, and driving more than 100,000 miles, I'd at least be able to clock in as a featherweight."

Preston has a unique show that involves an interesting technique called "looping". He records what he's playing live, then loops it over again so he can play other parts on top of it simultaneously. This allows him to play his own backup, sing his own harmonies, and by the end of the song, he sounds like a full band. Students at Concordia College say "He is the best performer we have ever had. Words cannot describe how great he is!" Preston often arrives early to his shows to promote. He goes around campus to personally hand out flyers and even invite people to the show with a teaser A Capella performance. His music is upbeat, melodic, and soulful. His style has been compared to Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran, with a bit of Justin Timberlake. What audiences really respond to is his obvious, absolute love for his craft. "I'm so grateful that this is my job", Preston says. "Isn't that crazy? I get to sing, tell stories, and connect with cool people all over the country for a living. It's the best! I love to tell stories," he explains, "stories about love, heartache, triumph, and embarrassing or funny things that have happened on the road. There is often an invisible barrier between artist and audience. I love to break that barrier down by inviting people on stage with me to help with songs. ?I'll even go out and sing a song or maybe dance with someone or stand on a table. I switch things up from what people are used to seeing at a solo acoustic show."
Over the past three years, Preston has more than proven himself in the college market, but he'll be the first to tell you he hasn't done it alone. "My beautiful wife Corine has been my biggest supporter. She tours with me, and makes life on the road a blast. I've also been blessed to work with Auburn Moon Agency. They are so great, and it feels like a family there." Preston gushes, "I also love the friendships I have made with activities committees everywhere. Thanks SO MUCH to the voters. I am honored to win this award." - Campus Activities Magazine

Anyone who saw Preston Pugmire’s performance during the Spring Concert Series Thursday in the PUB Lounge may have witnessed a musical technique new to them: a deck of cards used as an instrument.
Pugmire was born and raised in Rexburg, Idaho, where he got his first guitar at the age of 15 after watching his father play. He began to learn Weezer and Nirvana songs, then moved on to writing self-proclaimed “cheesy pop punk” songs.
Pugmire vividly remembers the moment he knew he wanted to pursue a career in music. It was November of 1995, and he was watching music videos when Radiohead’s “Just” video came on.
“I decided that music like that could change the world,” said Pugmire. “I’ve been obsessed with playing and listening to music ever since.”
Though he began with an acoustic guitar, Pugmire has since expanded his musical repertoire to include a deck of cards, claves, tambourines and a megaphone.
He also utilizes a technique called looping in which he uses foot pedals to record what he is playing live. He then plays that recording back, adding more and more instruments until it sounds like he is performing with a full band and choir.
Pugmire describes his sound as acoustic music with a pop influence, though he says he is still in search of the perfect pop melody. He is influenced by artists like Radiohead, The Beatles and Björk.
As the highest booked artist at the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) West conference last year, Pugmire played both original and cover songs during his two-hour set, including Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love,” Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River” and Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody.”
He says that cover songs draw audience members into his performances but that his original songs stick in their heads.
Pugmire has been a full-time musician for the past year after realizing that studying speech pathology was not for him.
He now travels the country with his wife Corine, who is the subject of several of his songs.
Though love is a common theme in his songs, Pugmire is also drawn to human connections whether they are romantic or not.
“I love a song that can connect with me and with someone I don’t even know,” he said.
While performing, Pugmire looks for what he calls a “moment.” In this moment, he said, the wall between the audience and the musician is broken down, leaving a room full of people listening to music that one person happens to be supplying.
This moment is what people remember from concerts and will only occur if everyone present allows it to happen, Pugmire said.
Having only released one extended play as a solo artist, Pugmire is preparing to take the summer off to record his first full-length album.
Pugmire stresses the importance of believing in oneself when pursuing a career in music. He says that the music created when the musician believes in themselves “is the kind of music that sells records, changes lives and saves souls.”
For more information on Pugmire, visit www.prestonpugmire.com or www.myspace.com/prestonpugmire. - Eastern Washington University